Distributor question.

Hey guys, this is my first post here and i've searched Google, Autozone, Rockauto, and other sites but im still somewhat confused. I just bought a 1984 200SX with the CA20E and it was manufactured in 12/84 (i want to assume it's technically an 85 car.) On Rockauto, it shows a vacuum advance distributor listed for BEFORE 11/1984. My question is, am I supposed to have a vacuum advance distributor? The car runs with the distributor i have now, which doesnt seem to have any provision for the vacuum advance. I'm in the process of replacing all the vacuum lines and diagnosing a weird tick/somewhat knocking sound coming from the intake side and when i put everything back together just wanna know if i should try and get a vacuum advance distributor first. Thanks.

Got any pics? 84 to early 86 had Vac advance and late 86 on had electronic advance.

What would you like to see? Although it is pretty dark out now..lol.

If it doesn't have one now,  I wouldn't get a vac advance one.  And that tick you have from the intake side,  I think that's a pretty normal sound, or the lifters needing adjusting if anything.  Where do your vac lines from under the throttle body go to?  Those on a vac advance car would go to the thermal vacuum valve and then to the vac advance on the dizzy.

Jeremy A on 04:59:28 PM / 25-Jan-13If it doesn't have one now,  I wouldn't get a vac advance one.  And that tick you have from the intake side,  I think that's a pretty normal sound, or the lifters needing adjusting if anything.  Where do your vac lines from under the throttle body go to?  Those on a vac advance car would go to the thermal vacuum valve and then to the vac advance on the dizzy.

Hey pm rednucleus. He might be able to help. Wen I.had a ca20 he was a wealth of knowledge and not about looking at his engine for you and snapping a pic if needed.

night_s12 on 11:34:52 PM / 25-Jan-13Hey pm rednucleus. He might be able to help. Wen I.had a ca20 he was a wealth of knowledge and not about looking at his engine for you and snapping a pic if needed.

No prob

Silver top eh (Silver valve cover) I think you have a swapped ca from late 86 on (MK2) since you dont have vac advance aswell :S . Glad to hear my MK1 Vacuum thread is seeing some use, Took a bit to make hahaha

I agree, the silver top says this is an 86 or later motor, and that's why you don't have a vacuum advance dist. Also, your air cleaner set up is different than my 85 - on mine you adjust the idle at the air cleaner, don't see that set up on yours. I will assume someeone swapped in a newer motor, and I expect the matching ecu. You might try getting the number off the ecu and cross check it with Nissan. Maybe have them run your vin to to verify what's supposed to be there.
Anybody know location of any numbers on the motor he could use to get more info from Nissan?
Silvertops have hydraulic lifters, bet that's what you are hearing.

The previous owner did tell me that they swapped in a "newer" motor at 170k but no more info than that. It was his uncle's car, so i'm guessing he didn't know much about it really.

So as long as I have the matching ECU, I should be okay then? I went to the junkyard today and found a 86 hatch with the same distributor as mine (it also had the rear spoiler on it, my car has one already, but i'm going to go back for it when 50% off comes in 2 weeks. lol) Also, a MK2 Notch. So, worst case scenario, I can pull a ECU off one of those cars, I guess. Assuming I don't have it already.

I bet the noise is the lifters, haha. My Miata also makes the same noise from time to time, mostly cold startup. I probably won't replace them then. Just save up for KA/SR for the future. I mostly just want the motor to be somewhat reliable so I can focus on the suspension right now. I've replaced most of the vacuum lines today, hopefully going to finish those up tomorrow. Need to do a coolant flush and fluids change.

As far as the small amount of oil on the spark plugs, valve cover gasket should fix that, correct? RedNucleus, should I try and find a different air cleaner assembly or am I fine with what I have?

Thanks everyone for your help. If you need pics of anything, just ask, and i'll try my best to get them.

The spark plugs go into the head not the through the valve cover into the head like KAs...so no that will not fix it

turbo-s12 on 10:32:51 PM / 26-Jan-13The spark plugs go into the head not the through the valve cover into the head like KAs...so no that will not fix it

Your air cleaner assembly is fine; I assume it was swapped in with the newer motor.  Motor will start and run now?

If you are having oil fouled spark plugs it could be head gasket, piston rings, or valve seals....id do a compression test if it turns out fine then its the valve seals

rednucleus on 11:23:30 AM / 27-Jan-13Your air cleaner assembly is fine; I assume it was swapped in with the newer motor.  Motor will start and run now?

turbo-s12 on 01:24:49 PM / 27-Jan-13If you are having oil fouled spark plugs it could be head gasket, piston rings, or valve seals....id do a compression test if it turns out fine then its the valve seals

Good luck hope you get it figured out

So i put everything back together and now it seems to be misfiring like crazy. lol. I checked all vacuum lines and firing order. I guess i need to recheck timing, but it started raining like crazy, so it would have to be another day. Ugh. It kinda sucks cuz the car was running pretty fine the day i brought it home and now it's not so much...

I would do a compression test could explain the oil fouling and misfire

turbo-s12 on 04:14:47 PM / 27-Jan-13I would do a compression test could explain the oil fouling and misfire

Well ya it needs to be put in correctly or it wont run or run like shat...if u have a fsm itll tell u how to put it in needs to be at tdc and i think the rotor needs to be pointed at the #1 cyl on the exhaust side iirc

turbo-s12 on 06:53:22 PM / 27-Jan-13Well ya it needs to be put in correctly or it wont run or run like shat...if u have a fsm itll tell u how to put it in needs to be at tdc and i think the rotor needs to be pointed at the #1 cyl on the exhaust side iirc

ya its something like that i dont remember clearly cus i havent worked on a ca20 in a while....and i meant #1 cyl sparkplug exhaust side but i may be wrong so id look it up

turbo-s12 on 09:06:43 PM / 27-Jan-13ya its something like that i dont remember clearly cus i havent worked on a ca20 in a while....and i meant #1 cyl sparkplug exhaust side but i may be wrong so id look it up

nah its easy i just cant remember the details off the top of my head....good luck!

turbo-s12 on 09:41:28 PM / 27-Jan-13nah its easy i just cant remember the details off the top of my head....good luck!

glad to help let us know how it works out

So I got the distributor in correctly and then I went to the junkyard to check out a MK2 Coupe to double check my vacuum line routing. Got that all sorted out, timed it to about +5 or +10 degrees (kinda hard to see the notches on the crank.) Still ran like crap. I started pulling the injectors and noticed that #1, when pulled, didn't change anything. At the same time, I double checked my timing with my gun and noticed that when i put it on the exhaust side wires, i wasnt getting any signal. So i went to the junkyard and got 4 injectors (just in case) and 2 coils. Came home, took off the number one injector and my friend noticed that the fuel rail side where the hose goes was pinched shut! How?! Idk. Previous owner haha. So i had to cut off a little piece and then got the injector in, replaced the bad coil and fired up the car, sounded A LOT better and ran A LOT smoother. Took it for a little drive and it feels much better. Now I just need to finally finish the tune-up and fluid change. Thanks everyone here for your help, i'm sure ill be needing it again in the near future hahah.

Well, i would say that you found most if not all of your problems